Christian Living (Part C)

The tree desirable to make one wise took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband like a doofus.

He didn't have to. But he did wanted to please his woman.

Men and women need to be careful about that to this day. But the point is sin came into the world through a look and sin can be forgiven through a look at the cross of Christ. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will continue teaching verse by verse through Hebrews chapter 12 and his message called Christian living there always serving by the law prove this is what Jesus said, will we not going to diminished at all. However, it takes more than just add fruit or any other way than we wouldn't have things such as faith, hope and love.

We do have those things. Yes, love is critical, but you can have Christian love without Christian truth.

You cannot have Christian truth without hope was the sense of having it does no hope satisfies it ultimately gives you satisfaction and all the things that happen to us that sin that so easily beset says what you want to do it that you don't understand Christ's grace towards you. You will be able to let it flow from you. How are you going to do that how you going to let come from you. What is not in you this you believe in magic.

I hope not. So, too many suppose that grace is a pass for disobedience. It is not, not ever. Grace is what happens when I run out. Nothing left. I can obey I can't get it done. I'm too weak but Christ is still strong and he does not toss me into the trash. He doesn't cast me out.

I'm not evicted.

If I still love him and want him and them determined to serve him no matter what. I don't care what all the naysaying voices on earth may say to you, Christ speaks louder if you will listen. That's what allows us to stand in the face of opposition of the naysayers of the antichrist of the eight yes of the agnostics that allows us to stand in front of them and say, you may not have heard his voice I have and I then given it up for you. I would like to give you some of it but I'm not given it up for you. There's nothing about you more appealing than Jesus Christ. When I read of him dying for me to take my sin away. I don't read about you dying for me. In fact I don't even read about you being good enough to die for me.

Truth is, you know, I know that no one is good enough to die for anybody else to take their sin away. You may be strong enough, brave enough to die for someone else to save their physical life.

You can't take away their sin, and so we run to finish and if you not running to finish. Why bother enduring because the alternative is unacceptable, undesirable. It is worse. I rather endure in my suffering then be delivered from my suffering without Christ and that's what persecution is all about to try to get the Christians to say opposite to try to get us to cave in. As I renounce Christ because I don't want to suffer anymore and so we do well as I mentioned earlier to study the lives of those who suffered when the world was not worthy so that if it comes our turn to suffer. Our magazine is already loaded with determination, with faith and grace and hope truth in love, and everything else we need to still be a Christian, you know, and for other parts of the world, people coming to Christ knowing what's waiting for them in this world we we come to Christ.

Here was well you know was mom that going to think or what is my wife going to think or what are they going to think at work, my friends, that's pretty much the extent of our pressure is increasing. But in places like Syria and other parts of the world. Korea you give your life to Christ. If anybody finds out you will be given your life for Christ very good chance every brutal way.

Remember those who are in chains as though change with them what what about those who persecute remember those who are persecuted as a persecuted with them run to finish. I have pause here for a moment and ask, is anyone thinking well you know preaching is overrated. Sounds good when you're getting it was the purpose well, let's let's put a side-by-side you know let's look at the trash that's coming out a Netflix how they're trying to reshape what is moral and what is not moral. How the calling evil good and good evil to those of people not sitting on the sermon. Those are people not coming under the preaching of the Holy Spirit.

Those are the people of the world that have stiff arm the creator of heaven and earth, the hero of Calvary. Jesus Christ, that's what you get going on the Internet into any new site. Just look at the headlines and you tell me of those people sitting on the Christ. I mean, of course, there are one or two stories where there is a champion for the cause of righteousness, but overall it is all that will bring you down and then it gets even better. Read the comments read what's out there in the heads of people terrified not only the anger but the stupidity these people are there so different from God do so not interested in anything he has to say they've got all the answers they attack people they they speak without any platform of truth as though it is the final authority and it is not something that we look at you say well I'm better than them. We don't do that.

We just see it for what it is and say truth matters.

This cannot be something that goes on judged well with me to get through this.

We still got time. He says the race that is set before you. Are you gonna like this. Some of you that there were no remember your Bibles, your New Testament was originally written in the Greek language that is translated into other languages.

Well, that word in the Greek race. The word is all gone from which we get our English word agony.

Now all of a sudden the rich language begins to break through so you can say that agony that is set before us. That's life.

All it's not all agony but it has, it does kick in from time to time. There are things that it's like someone just the ranch inside of our heart or stomach array of our lives so is dealing with them to deal with life in Christ. The conflict that will come their way. The contention, the violence, the fighting, only Paul uses this word, another evidence he left us showing up so many times in his writing is a post not others. And then this word are gone uses it in Philippians 130 having the same conflict that's that word are gone, which you saw in me, and now here is in me then second Timothy is as I have fought the good all gone to good agony. The conflict I have fought the fight what fight the fight of life in Christ they saying this is on death row is about to leave this life. It is believed he says I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race have kept the faith. And then he goes into that ablative you're finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, so the race is set before us and that is the race of life who you competing against Satan. No is the enemy will come against you. We do fight him and his forces the life is me. My sinful nature.

The Christian is not into competition in the life of Christ we are at war against our own sinful nature is no getting around it. None of us have a choice webcast into this life we don't volunteer to be born, only one has ever done that we all have to face this life, and then after this life, we must face God about this life world is like that. If you don't have Jesus you can receive him otherwise you will answer without him you're not fit you don't have on the right shoes for that you don't have the right gear you're not equipped, you're going to drown in judgment because you have no Savior. And I wouldn't want to be you, but you have a chance to do something about that you just open your heart, that's all. Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. Nobody else is telling me this I know it's true. The thing about people who will not repent they know they are on holy so many of them try to redefine holiness is revise that okay holiness means perversity doing things like this, so they pretend that there is no God to hold them accountable.

Life feel like it or not it's going to happen to you. No way around it so you must press forward because anything less is something worse. You must press forward in Christ you come to realize that so the race the competition is against my own sinful nature and so Paul writes to the Corinthians. He says therefore I run this way. Not with uncertainty, that means he has faith. Thus, I fight it is a struggle not as one who beats the air.

In other words not shadowboxing the surreal fight. He says this is Corinthians 1st rent is nine Elm in verse 27 of first Corinthians line pieces but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection less when I have preached to others, I should become disqualified. I don't want to be a hypocrite. I don't want to preach to others and then go out not do it right in front of them for the pretend that it's okay they exist those types bewildering, but they do exist and so if others can live by faith. So can I that has to be our attitude to get nothing done progress. You just become a pew warmer you do nothing for the kingdom because you don't believe you can get baggage get rid of it you going to be around other Christians and they going to irritate you.

I promise you will you do about verse two looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. For the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and a sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Jesus the supreme source of encouragement. Everything is said, therefore, is linked to look at Jesus. This is the supremacy of Christ, the superiority of Christ. Satan is going to try to get you to forget that if you are with your right there with it right now when you leave this building, or maybe even before he's going to try to defuse that to him that is a bomb and you can give him the code to let him do it or you can fight one Greek scholar says that this Greek word, looking here means to turn away from everything else, not quite ton of those television books because that implies you in on narrow mindedness, perhaps, but the concentration it's undivided attention to turn away from looking at all those things that ensnare and look to Jesus, fix our eyes on him in the race of faith. The ultimate experience is Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate witness no matter what you're going through anything under the sun. The answer is in Christ, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the fear of anxiety, of weakness.

You put anything on that you want I shall fear no evil for you are with me what he's you better realize him if he's not real to you that will work if he is real disgrace.

If you do if you don't have is Gracie just going to hear his law you going to crumble you going to be bothersome to other people and yourself.

If you understand that Christ loves you, in spite of you that isn't wait for you to do good before he loves you.

God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ Jesus died for us.

The Bible says.

I believe it. Now this, looking unto Jesus, you know sin came into the world by a look looks that way.

Genesis chapter 3. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, you catch at sea salt is the forbidden tree.

Forget pause a moment for you. The haven't heard this before God put man and woman in a garden. The first occupation of man was garden well naming animals to gardening and he gave him a woman and they were in the garden and everything was going wonderfully and God said you can eat from any tree you want to accept one. Is that too much to ask. This is important because we live in an age where many Christians think nothing is to be held in reverence everything is cool. Listen, yet reverence is not cool.

There are some things that belong to a faith that need to be left alone that need to be separate from everything else for our sakes, not God.

The sanctuary is supposed to be treated like a sanctuary, not a gymnasium is not a social club is the house of God.

When you go to the house of God you to prepare your heart says the Scripture because it's not like anything else on earth where else to the St. gather and commune and serve like they do in God's house so God says you can do whatever you want outside their is one place that needs to be different.

That's is kind of that belongs to the self. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband and like a doofus. He ate it in half to what he did and wanted to please his woman. Men and women need to be careful about that to this day. But the point is sin came into the world through a look and sin can be forgiven through a look at the cross of Christ is that looking unto Jesus that undivided look not a casual look, not a glance. It is a stare at Jesus at the exclusion of distractions. Hebrews chapter 2, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God might taste death for every one. Some of you have not yet experienced. Had the experience of death move through your life. It will come later. Others you know it very well. So when you hear that he might taste death for everyone. You understand he is tasting it as the Victor that there's more to the story and him but a time were not allowed to reference number 21 but there in the book of numbers. The people complained about hardship. They got tired of enduring following the Lord in a place that they brought upon themselves because of their unbelief. And so God sent serpents to judge them. That was punishment getting them out of the house of the flock before they contaminated everybody with their unbelief.

And God told Moses, I want you to fashion a bronze serpent and set it up and whoever looks at that serpent. If there bitten by a real certain they will be healed. The got a look and so if you are bitten and is on the looking. I don't believe it and you died. If you look you were healed. And so Jesus comes along and he says that the Son of Man is Moses in the wilderness with the brass serpent if the Son of Man be lifted up I will draw all men to me. You see the connection. We look to Christ be healed.

The bite of the serpent sin that were born with is the author and finisher of our faith that word all we get our architect from that immunity, the leader is the trailblazer of the solution to sin humanity's problem is the finisher you will perfect it, he will not release an undeveloped product in the end we will be in glory with him. David took five smooth stones in his separate pouch. He only needed one to drop the giant. The chief cornerstone.

That's the one we have chief cornerstone, not five smooth stones.

The chief cornerstone. For those of you were Bible students, you know that is a direct reference to Jesus Christ and so our faith.

He says author and finisher of our faith.

What we believe and do with what we believe. Does this shouldn't matter to suggest a philosophy with genuine Christianity is supposed to create action. God, he is the author men all the scribes their thoughts to their personalities. He communicates his intentions's predictions as fulfillments they all originate from God.

He is the single source he is the architect if he is God and what's wrong with that if God is God. What is wrong with him saying this is how I wanted done over general problem New World lings when you say on the supervisor. This is how I wanted done what God can do that God will not conform to men. John 738 you believed in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow torrents of living water, so there are those that will doubt that will cost them if you'd go to your grave rejecting Christ. It will cost you just one thing one eternity.

That's what it will cost you and if you think you are big enough and mean enough to handle that you are a bigger fool than you allow yourself to believe fool has said in his heart there is no God. The fool has said in his heart. I will make God in my image. I will not let God take me in his image.

Happens all the time.

For the joy that was set before him.

What could possibly be joyful for him to deploy from heaven to hear this cursed world.

What could possibly be joy set before him in that the answer is love received my love given only gave God's love. Don't misunderstand, he loves righteousness to and holiness in his love will run out. If you are wrong with him.

In the end, but that we would love him back. God wants that. So he deployed left heaven on assignment to hear. Isaiah 53 he shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied. Is this prophetic of the coming Christ.

700 years over 700 years before Christ even came through a virgin brought Isaiah wrote this by his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Nobody else can do that for me first on 49. In this love of God was manifest toward us. God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him.

He endured the cross, nothing to God or mankind is dignified about crucifixion. Christ dignified the cross in that he dominated. He consented to it. No one put him on the cross.

Technically, physically they carried it out. Jesus said no one takes my life from me. I laid down myself. I have power to lay down my powder take it up again.

If he's God and that's true, and he is God, so he endured the cross, he took it for us, despising the shame, don't think for one moment because he is God the son that somehow he was above sensing all the shame that belong to to be crucified if of every body for being who you were not what you really were other words, they denied who he said he was, he really was God the son.

So, make no mistake, he hated the cross but he hated that men should be condemned to eternal death. More so I did something about it in the cross is evidence forever God says I'm going to settle this thing between good and evil, right here on this planet with people that are born. What about all the people that are born in such a state that they really not know about these things, God will deal with that he will always do right he says and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Who else could it could be fit for this, but the son of God is sitting down means as work is completed, that he sat down at the right hand of God means he is triumphant and causes of the Godhead world was not worthy. The world is the problem not the solution but you can't tell it that you cannot say to the people in the world.

Being apart from Christ, you going to just make matters worse, unless the Holy Spirit is working in their hearts and through your life. So for whatever is born of God overcomes the world.

First John 54 this is the victory that is overcome the world. Our faith move you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio